The present invention relates generally to novel pharmaceutical compositions of matter comprising one or more non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) in combination with at least one antihistamine, sympathomimetic drug (nasal decongestant, bronchodilator) cough suppressant and/or expectorant, optionally in combination with suitable pharmaceutically acceptable non-toxic carriers or excipients, and to methods of using said compositions in the treatment, management or mitigation of cough, cold, cold-like and/or flu symptoms and the discomfort, pain, fever and general malaise associated therewith.
Non-narcotic analgesics, most of which are also known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), are widely administered orally in the treatment of mild to severe pain. Within this class, the compounds vary widely in their chemical structure and in their biological profiles as analgesics, anti-inflammatory agents and antipyretic agents. Among the most commonly used members of the non-narcotic analgesic class of drugs are aspirin, acetaminophen and phenacetin. Aspirin and acetaminophen have heretofore been included as the pain reliever and fever-reducing component in conventional cough/cold multi-symptom alleviating compositions.
However, a number of alternative non-narcotic agents offering a variety of advantages over these conventionally employed non-narcotic analgesic antipyretics have now been developed. The principal advantages of these non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs include not only the clinically superior analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activity of these agents compared to aspirin, acetaminophen or phenacetin, but also a minimization of the adverse side affects experienced with these conventional agents; more specifically, the gastrointestinal ulcerations experienced with aspirin and the hepatic toxicity prevalent with the chronic use of acetaminophen.
Exemplary prior art cough/cold formulations containing aspirin or acetaminophen include Coricidin.RTM., Coricidin D.RTM., Contrex.RTM., Dristan.RTM., Daycare.RTM., Cotylenol.RTM., Sinubid.RTM. and the like. These formulations generally contain in addition to aspirin or acetaminophen, one or more antihistaminics, decongestants, cough suppressants, antitussives and expectorants.
While aspirin and acetaminophen have been utilized in these previous compositions, it has not been heretofore proposed to use any of the newer non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (i.e., excluding aspirin, acetaminophen and phenacetin) in the preparation of advantageous cough/cold pharmaceutical compositions.